Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas (Part I)

The poignant post-War Stanhope Gold Medal group of six awarded to Petty Officer (Upper Yardman Air) I. L. Beale, Royal Navy, for saving the life of his observer after their Firefly aircraft crashed into the sea off Land’s End in January 1955; tragically, he was killed in another aircraft accident in the following year, when a Skyraider of H.M.S. Eagle crashed into the Mediterranean on 24 November 1956

Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (C/JX.646145 I. L. Beale P.O. R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54; Royal Humane Society, Stanhope Gold Medal, 2nd type, 9-carat gold, hallmarked Birmingham 1955 (P.O. (Upper Yardman Air) Ivor Laurence Beale, R.N. 24th Jany. 1955); Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (successful), (P.O. (Upper Yardman Air) Ivor Laurence Beale, R.N. 24th Jany. 1955) mounted for wearing, good very fine (6) £2,400-£2,800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Naval Medals from the Collection of the Late Jason Pilalas.

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Ivor Laurence Beale’s gallant deeds are recorded in the following terms in Royal Humane Society records (Case No. 63945 - Voted to be the Stanhope Gold Medallist for 1955):

‘Saved Midshipman (Air) Richard William Mile Shepherd (21), Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. In the sea 20 miles N.W. of Land’s End.

On the night of 24 January 1955, at 7.00 p.m., a Firefly Mk. 7 aircraft of No. 796 Squadron, attached to the Naval Observer and Air Signal School, R.N.A.S. Culdrose, crashed in the sea 20 miles N.W. of Land’s End. The weather was overcast with a force of 4 (11-16 m.p.h.). The wind was S./S.W., moderate sea and swell. The pilot is missing, believed killed, and salvor and saved were in the rear cockpit.

On crashing the aircraft turned over and sank. Both rear cockpit occupants released themselves from the aircraft under water but Shepherd’s dinghy snagged and he had to leave it in the aircraft. Beale escaped with his dinghy and on coming to the surface, spent about 2 minutes releasing his parachute and making sure his dinghy was secure. Then realising that Shepherd was in the water 50 feet away, without a dinghy, Beale swam to him and then opened his own dinghy. Seeing that Shepherd was wounded in the head and only partially conscious, Beale pushed him into the dinghy (designed for one man capacity) and then climbed in himself over Shepherd’s legs. Beale’s action in rescuing Shepherd and getting him into the dinghy is most praiseworthy in view of the fact that Beale himself had a badly contused arm and a fractured rib, sustained in the crash (Report of Captain W. W. R. Bentick, R.N. Air Station, Culdrose).

Subsequently in the dinghy Beale attempted to revive Shepherd with his own warmth as Shepherd’s immersion suit had been torn in escaping from the aircraft and was full of water, and, when Shepherd had revived, they took it in turns to keep each other warm, Beale having broken the seal on his immersion suit in rescuing Shepherd and so also being wet through.

The following statement was made in reply to the Society’s questionnaire: Beale in delaying getting in his own dinghy in his injured condition, by going to rescue Shepherd, and in sharing his own one man dinghy with Shepherd, considerably decreased his own chances of survival or rescue.’

After three hours of exposure the two men were picked up by the British Tanker Scottish Eagle. The Master of the Scottish Eagle reported: Referring back to the incident on the night of 24th inst. I would like the attention of proper authority drawn to the great bravery shown by U. Y. Beale in saving the life of Midshipman Shepherd. When these two men had fought their way out of the aircraft it was submerged to a depth of about 20 feet and both of them were injured and badly shocked. Beale’s dinghy, which was the only one to inflate, was, after all, only a one man dinghy and how he managed to get a helpless semi-conscious man into it, in the sea and swell then running, is almost beyond understanding. He could only have managed this by jeopardising his own life. During all the time they were in the water and alongside the ship, during the recovery from the water and during removal from the lifeboat to the hospital, Beale’s only thought was: For God’s sake mind my legs.

A doctor was transferred from H.M.S. Triumph to the Scottish Eagle. He treated the survivors for their injuries, shock and exposure. The Scottish Eagle was diverted to Falmouth where the survivors were landed at 5.30 a.m. on 25 January and transferred to the Sick Bay, R.N.A.S. Culdrose.’

Beale and Shepherd were spotted by a Shackleton aircraft from R.A.F. St. Eval at 2200 hours, and its crew guided the Crested Eagle to their position; the pilot of the Firefly perished.

Tragically, Beale was killed in another aircraft accident in the following year, when a Skyraider of H.M.S. Eagle crashed into the Mediterranean on 24 November 1956.

Sold with gold and silver ribbon buckles for the Stanhope Gold Medal and R.H.S. silver medal; damaged case of issue for the Stanhope medal; Royal Life Saving Society, bronze medal (I. L. Beale, July 1942), an unnamed gilt metal swimming medal, and embroidered Naval airman’s badge.